Five keys to Detroit Lions’ 22-16 OT win over Vikings

Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) celebrates with teammates after catching a 28-yard touchdown pass during overtime in an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016, in Minneapolis. The Lions won 22-16. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater (5) celebrates with teammates after making a 58-yard field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

By Paula Pasche | The Oakland Press

PUBLISHED: November 6, 2016 at 5:05 p.m. | UPDATED: June 17, 2021 at 6:45 a.m.

In an emotional pre-game speech, Lions coach Jim Caldwell challenged his players on Saturday, asking who wanted to be the guy who says, “Watch me.” He asked who wanted to be the one to get something done.

Golden Tate shared the anecdote after the 22-16 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Field on Sunday.

“It kind of resonated on me since yesterday when he said it. I just thought in my head I want to be that guy, the guy everybody’s watching, I want to be the leader that makes the play,” Tate said.

Turns out, he was the guy.

PHOTOS FROM LIONS 22-16 OT WIN OVER VIKINGS

The wide receiver caught 11 passes including the game-winner in overtime, a 28-yarder that he caught close to the sideline, managed to stay in-bounds, then turned around and when he got close enough, he dove into the end zone.

Caldwell would take no credit for the results of that speech given on the eve of the huge divisional matchup.

“I give very little credence to coaches and pregame talks,” Caldwell said. “It’s really the players who do it. It has little to do with what we say.”

It seemed to make a difference to Tate and others too.

“That’s what it takes at the end somebody has to step up and make it happen,” Caldwell said.

Throughout four quarters and overtime, there were plenty of heroes.

“We’ve got good people, good people with character, and they do what we ask them to do,” Caldwell said.

Five keys to the win:

1. First with 23 seconds remaining and no timeouts, the Lions get the ball. They need a field goal to tie and send it to overtime. No problem. Stafford threw an 8-yard pass to Tate who got out of bounds immediately. Then he drills one 27 yards to Andre Roberts who gets just into field goal range. Stafford said offensive coordinator Jim Bob (Cooter) installed that play this week for a time they might need 30 or 40 yards with no timeouts. “It’s a heckuva play design and it worked for us. We don’t want to be in those situations but we have been in quite a few,” said Stafford who is building a career on fourth-quarter comebacks, including five this season.

2. Then Matt Prater kicks a 58-yard field goal to tie the game with no time left in regulation. Earlier in the fourth quarter he had kicked a 53-yarder to give the Lions a 13-9 lead. “He made a 60-yarder during warm-ups pretty easily,” Caldwell said. “He’s a pretty special guy.” Prater had missed a field goal in each of the last two games, but was perfect when it mattered the most. “The team has been playing so well I expect them to get the ball in field-goal range (even with 23 seconds left) and when they send me out, like I’ve always said, I expect to make everything,” said Prater who also kicked a 47-yarder in the first quarter.

3. The defense stepped up huge in several situations, but two stand out. Early in the second quarter, Stafford threw an interception caught by Chad Greenway. He was under pressure and said he was pulled and got nothing on the ball. Whatever, the Vikings got the ball on Detroit’s 18. Thanks to pressure from the defense and a few Minnesota penalties, the Vikings punted on fourth-and-32. That is not easy to do. Then on fourth-and-inches in the fourth quarter with the ball on Detroit’s 5, Matt Asiata was stuffed by Josh Bynes and Tahir Whitehead for no gain. The Lions were clinging to a 13-9 lead at the time.

4. Prater wasn’t the only special teams player to contribute. Early in the fourth quarter, Tyrunn Walker blocked a 46-yard Blair Walsh field goal attempt which would have given the Vikings a 12-10 lead. The ball bounced into the hands of Glover Quin who returned 32 yards it to the Vikings’ 42.

5. For the second straight week, tight end Eric Ebron stood out. He finished with seven catches for 92 yards (a career high). Late in the first half on first-and-10 from the Vikings’ 25, Ebron pulled in a 20-yard reception to set up the touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin three players later. Stafford was 23 of 26 for 213 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. The run game featured Theo Riddick (14 carries, 70 yards) and rookie Dwayne Washington (10 carries, 26 yards). The offensive numbers weren’t gaudy but they were good enough going against the Vikings, the NFL’s second-best defense.